Confessions - Book Iii - Chapter Vii
St. Augustine reflects on his early misunderstandings about evil and God's nature, revealing that evil is a mere absence of good and that God is an incorporeal spirit beyond physical limitations.
In this reflective sermon, St. Augustine recounts his early struggles with understanding the nature of evil and the true essence of God. He reveals how his misconceptions were corrected by the realization that evil is merely the absence of good and that God is an incorporeal spirit beyond physical form. Augustine also explores the divine principle within humans that reflects God's likeness, offering profound insights into spiritual truth and human identity.
Text
12. For I was ignorant of that other reality, true Being. And so it was that I was subtly persuaded to agree with these foolish deceivers when they put their questions to me: \"Whence comes evil?\" and, \"Is God limited by a bodily shape, and has he hairs and nails?\" and, \"Are those patriarchs to be esteemed righteous who had many wives at one time, and who killed men and who sacrificed living creatures?\" In my ignorance I was much disturbed over these things and, though I was retreating from the truth, I appeared to myself to be going toward it, because I did not yet know that evil was nothing but a privation of good (that, indeed, it has no being)[73]; and how should I have seen this when the sight of my eyes went no farther than physical objects, and the sight of my mind reached no farther than to fantasms? And I did not know that God is a spirit who has no parts extended in length and breadth, whose being has no mass--for every mass is less in a part than in a whole--and if it be an infinite mass it must be less in such parts as are limited by a certain space than in its infinity. It cannot therefore be wholly everywhere as Spirit is, as God is. And I was entirely ignorant as to what is that principle within us by which we are like God, and which is rightly said in Scripture to be made \"after God\\
Sermon Outline
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I. Ignorance of True Being
- Confusion about the origin of evil
- Misconceptions about God's physical form
- Disturbance caused by false teachings
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II. Understanding Evil as Privation
- Evil has no true being
- Evil is absence of good
- Limitations of physical and mental perception
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III. The Nature of God as Spirit
- God is incorporeal and infinite
- God transcends physical dimensions
- Spirit is wholly everywhere
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IV. The Principle Within Us
- Humans made after God's likeness
- Understanding the divine principle within
- Scriptural basis for human likeness to God
Key Quotes
“Evil was nothing but a privation of good (that, indeed, it has no being).” — St. Augustine
“God is a spirit who has no parts extended in length and breadth, whose being has no mass.” — St. Augustine
“I was entirely ignorant as to what is that principle within us by which we are like God.” — St. Augustine
Application Points
- Recognize that evil is not a force but a lack of good, encouraging a focus on cultivating goodness.
- Understand God as a spirit beyond physical limitations to deepen spiritual faith and worship.
- Reflect on the divine likeness within oneself to grow in spiritual identity and purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Augustine say about the nature of evil?
He explains that evil is not a substance but a privation or absence of good.
How does Augustine describe God’s nature?
God is described as a spirit without physical form or limitations, infinite and wholly present everywhere.
Why was Augustine disturbed by certain questions in his youth?
He was confused by false teachings that misrepresented God and the patriarchs, leading him away from the truth.
What principle within humans does Augustine mention?
He refers to the principle by which humans are made in God's likeness, as stated in Scripture.
How does Augustine view physical perception in understanding spiritual truths?
He acknowledges that physical and mental perceptions are limited and can hinder understanding of spiritual realities.